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New York Islanders: Andrew Ladd Doesn’t Have To Be Protected In 2021 Expansion Draft

By Matt O'Leary

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 05: Andrew Ladd #16 of the New York Islanders reacts after the Islanders scored a second goal in the first period against Montreal Canadiens at Barclays Center on November 5, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 05: Andrew Ladd #16 of the New York Islanders reacts after the Islanders scored a second goal in the first period against Montreal Canadiens at Barclays Center on November 5, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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With Seattle hockey becoming official this week, the question becomes who do the New York Islanders lose in 2021? It should be Andrew Ladd.

It feels like just yesterday we were putting together the New York Islanders Expansion Draft protection list. Who would’ve thought, Adam Pelech would be protected and the guy the Isles would lose would be J.F. Berube.

This past week, it was announced that Seattle will be the next city to be granted a team. They will join the league in 2021-2022, oddly enough it’s the same year that the Islanders are expected to receive their new home.

If you’re the Islanders you don’t want to lose an important piece, like what happened to Florida just last year. Arthur Staple of The Athletic came up with a way too early list for who the Isles could protect.

I won’t divulge who he protected and who he didn’t, you should subscribe to their content it’s 100 percent worth it, but he did confirm something that a lot of people were confused on. I tweeted this out on Monday:

On more than one occasion, people tweeted me that the Islanders would have to protect him citing his No Move Clause. Actually, his contract only had a NMC for his first two seasons with the Islanders.

He now has a NTC for this year and next year which becomes a Modified NTC for the final three years of the deal. So by the time the Expansion Draft comes, he will be on a Modified No Trade Clause.

The Islanders are not required to protect Ladd, nor should they. If you’re the Islanders you’re begging for Seattle to take on a 35-year-old Andrew Ladd that carries a $5.5 million cap hit.

If Lou Lamoriello, or whoever else may be the General Manager by then, was smart they would make a deal to ensure that Ladd is the one who is selected by Seattle. Garth Snow did it with J.F. Berube, it should happen again in two and a half years when it’s time for the draft.

Next. Isles Suspension Free For 3 Years

Sure, Cal Clutterbuck or Leo Komarov are probably contracts you’d like to see disappear too, but Ladd must be the priority.

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